Wonderful Christmastime

Rory and me last Christmas Day, playing with a huge pile of dog toys.

Merry Christmas and the Happiest of Holidays, everyone!!

I'm still scrambling to carve out some down time (I fully realize how crazy that sounds), so that I can sit and just soak in the Christmas spirit.  Last night was my first evening off, and I spent it taking Rory for a run, inhaling my dinner, and then going to bed early with a book.  Ahhhhh... Not spectacularly Christmas-y, but it felt amazing and indulgent, nonetheless.

Recipe Rewind: Coconut Macaroons

Happy Friday!  I'm so ready for this week to be over.  Not that it's been a particularly grueling week; it's actually been relatively breezy compared to most.  But I'm just feeling rundown, and I definitely need a couple of days to stare out windows and read books and get my sock drawer organized.  Things to get me feeling centered and right with the world.  Oh, and I may or may not be baking a 3-layer cake tonight for Bo's Mom's birthday.  Shhhh... it's a surprise cake!  Baking surprise birthday cakes definitely gets me feeling right with the world.  And just so that we can all help her celebrate, I'll post the recipe next week (Italian Cream Cake, folks) along with some photos.  Hurrah for birthdays, am I right?

Chex Party Mix

Knock, knock!  I'm finally back!

I'm this-close to being finished with my chores-y Christmas tasks, and this-close to a whirlwind of baking treats and making candies.  Hurrahhhh!!  I decided to start with my Gramma's Chex mix recipe because it was a speedy-quick one to throw together last night.  Plus, I hadn't made it in at least seven years, so it was high time I revisit this munchy snack.

Recipe Rewind: Homemade Marshmallows

Well, helloooooooo.

I must confess - I've been in a bit of a funk for the past few months.  I could blame it on moving, I suppose.  I love our house, but I'm one of those cranky and OCD Type As who needs everything in its place to feel peace in my own house.  It's getting there, and I'm definitely not putting too much pressure on myself to be an over-achiever with settling in.  But there are moments that I stop in my tracks and just can't wrap my frantic little brain around all the zillion things screaming at me to accomplish.  So it's no shocker that my list-making tendencies are in serious overdrive right now.  Oh, and Christmas is drawing near?  My most favorite  and the dreamiest of holidays?  I've got 3 separate lists going for that.

Lists, lists, lists.  I don't love having them but they definitely help keep my sanity from inching its toe near that crumbling cliff of no return.